Improvement in bath-cars



TED T .{PATENT ater.

CHARLES COOPER, OF WATERTOWN,*NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT lN BATH-CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. I 83,537, dated October 24, 1876; application filed July 28, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES HOWELL COOPER, of Watertown, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York, have invented an Improved Bath-Oar, of which the following is a specification This invention relates to a bath-car; and has for its object to provide a portable Turkish bath that can be moved from place to place on railroads or ordinary roads.

This invention is shown applied to a railroad-car mounted on the usual trucks.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section taken through a car provided with myinvention; and Fig. 2 is a top view and looking down. into the car, the roof being removed.

The body a of the car is mounted on truck I) and wheels 0, of usual construction. The car is divided into apartments 61 efg h. In apartment (1 is placed the stove or heater, or engine 5, of any 'usual construction, adapted to convert water into steam, such heater being connected with a radiating coil or pile of pipes, j, placed at one end or side, or under the floor, of the apartment 6, called the hotroom, and provided with chairs or lounges It, the person taking the bath occupying one of the chairs or lounges, the heat of the room ranging from 124C upward, until the pores of the skin are thoroughly opened, and profuse perspiration is attained. From the hot-room e the person is conducted to the scrubbing or wash room f, where, stretched on-the table Z, he is thoroughly rubbed and washed, after which he is showered by the attendant, the water for such purpose passing through pipe 112, connected with cold and hot water tanks a 0, these pipes joining together at 1), (see Fig. 1,) thereby enabling the attendant to have the showering-water more or less warm, and to gradually increase or decrease the quantity of cold or hot water, as required, a suitable gate or other valve being employed to control the water. A doorway, 7", leads into the plunge-room. The person, standing on the platform 8, then plunges into the plunge gan apartment filled with water several feet in depth-after which the person passes to the cooling-01f or drying room h, where suitable chairs or lounges are provided for the'bather to sit or lie down upon. This cooling-room is the one first entered by the bather, and used also as the dressing-room.

Olosetst for clothing, mounted on suitable friction-rollers, are arranged to be moved out or into the car, Fig. 2 showing them slid out as they will be when the bath is in operation; but when-the car is being moved the closets are slid in, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. i The apartmep-t d is also provided with cold and hot water ti-ahks of suitable size, the latter being connected by pipes with the heater. If it is desired to give a Russian bath, it is only necessary to permit the steam to issue directly into the department 6. The cashiers desk is seen at a. Cold water is supplied to the plunge in apartment 0 through a pipe, 4).

The plunge might be omitted, and in such event the person would be showered with cold water in the scrubbingroom.

A doorway leads from the hot to the scrubbing room, and the passage-way w leads from the latter room to the cooling and dressing room.

The movable closets t, when pushed out, as in Fig. 2, leave sufficient room in apartment h, which would not be the case if the closets were built into the room. In traveling, the closets could not project without striking other passing "cars.

This bath-car in length, width, and height will be of the dimensions of ordinary cars. Projecting portions 0: of the closets t at back and front meet the car and form a. weatherproof joint, a suitable rubber packing-strip being used, if desired.

If desired, the apartment d may be subdivided into two or more small apartments for wave and needle baths, or in one of these apartments so formed free steam might be admitted to give a Russian bath 5 or appa' ratus may be added to give electro-thermal baths. I

The apartment k may be supplied with closets, such as are usually placed at the end of a railroad-car.

I claim- 1. Iu-a portable bath-car, a room, 6, and pipes and heater, to keep the air therein at high temperature, in combination with a room, f,

cold and hot water tanks, and pipes connectin g room f with the cold and hot water tanks, name to this specification in the presence of substantially as and for the purpose described. two subscribing witnesses.

2. The combination with the car of movable closets, arranged to be moved horizontally CHAS HOWELL COOPER" through the side of the car, substantially as Witnesses:

described. ROBERT HITGHGOCK,

In testimony whereof I have signed my JNo. M. SIGOURNEY. 

